7th February 2010
Not a report on wildlife but an illustration of the
wonders of nature! These two images were taken of frost on a
car windscreen yesterday morning. The frond type pattern was
present on all the car windows and the bodywork. An adjacent
car showed similar patterns so is it seems unlikely to be a
feature of the surfaces concerned but something to do with the
freezing process itself. Anyone out there that can give a good
explanation?
Click pictures for a bigger view.
Garden Bird Survey 2009 - the results are
now posted and available via the menu button at the left of
the page. Please note that this is quite a large page and will
take some time to load if you are using a dial-up connection.
The report is also available in PDF format should you wish to
print it out. You can find the PDF here
or via the report page. Please use the 'Refresh' button on your
browser to ensure you have the latest page. Posting the report
required a number of changes to our website so please advise
us if you find any problems.
6th February 2010
M Bradshaw heard Oystercatchers overhead a couple of
evenings ago. While putting up Barn Owl boxes at Newton Farm
yesterday there were three Magpies feeding on the fields. Iain
saw a male Bullfinch on one of the trees on the High Street
at 8.30 this morning which was unusual.
5th February 2010
A small change to our meetings schedule, Gordon Yates
will still be doing his usual film presentation next Friday
but the subject has changed and will now be "Arctic and
Hebridean Odyssey" instead of the subject listed.
2nd February 2010
We have two reports from Dave Bradshaw about his travels
around the area -
1. Dated 22 January - "I walked up from Beattock to Earshaigs
this afternoon. No Dipper at Beattock bridge (Evan Water), river
too high after last nights downpour of rain. On the way up the
Crooked Road: 2 Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Chaffinch and Kestrel
over the railway bridge. Beattock Hill: Sparrowhawk, Buzzard
and Raven. Between Easter Earshaig and Wester Earshaig: 18 Crossbills
flying round. In the tree behind Easter Earshaig: 29 Fieldfare,
25 Starlings, 3 Crossbills and the tree in the garden of Earshaigs
had 10 Crossbills and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. On the Southern
Upland Way: 3 Coal Tits and more Crossbills. I met a dog walker
from Moffat and, as we came to the bridge over the outlet stream
from the north lochan, the dogs set up a Dipper. Dipper often
occur here after a lot of rain. Back by the car park: more Crossbills
with a male in full song. One thing of note, no wrens heard
or seen usually see plenty here. is this because of the 5 weeks
of harsh weather? also no stonechats. "
2. Dated 1st February - "a timed tetrad on my BBS square
but covering more of the square than just the bbs transect lines.
Stidriggs side of the River Kinnel: 23 Starling, 4 Crossbills,
Chaffinch and Blue Tit. Across the river as I came through the
pine wood on to open fields/moorland: a Dipper in the stream
that originates from Earshaigs Lake and borders the wood before
running in to the River Kinnel. A dead Jay (feathers only) in
the pine wood, taken by a Sparrowhawk or Goshawk? or maybe the
weather? and a Goldcrest. As I crossed to the small plantation,
a Woodcock flew up in front of me and flew into the plantation,
lots of droppings where it came from so must have been roosting,
Never recorded on my BBS square before. At the small plantation:
2 Crossbills and 10 flew over. Back over to Stidriggs side of
the river: a flock of 120 Starlings and 82 Fieldfare feeding
on the improved grass fields. "
(BBS square - BBS is Breeding Bird Survey,
the square is 1x1km)
If anyone has been having problems recently while trying
to access our monthly bird survey data, we are aware of the
problem but it is not at our endof things. It is due to hardware
malfunctions at the web host. They advise that they are replacing
the hardware and hope to have normal service restored within
the next few days.
1st February 2010
The weekend saw the RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch - you
did take part, didn't you?
Someone who did has kindly sent us their record for the event
- Meikleholmside Cottage, large garden, trees, deciduous shrubs/hedge,
lawn, pond, flowerbeds. Currently feeding sunflower, mixed seed,
nyger seed, peanuts and fatballs. Maximum counts of birds recorded
during the 1 hour observation were 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit,
1 Coal Tit, 9 Chaffinch, 2 Robin, 3 Dunnock, 3 Blackbird, 19
House Sparrow, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Carrion Crow,
2 Magpie, 4 Wood Pigeon, 1 Buzzard and 3 Mallard.
Have received the annual report 2009 for Castle and Hightae
Lochs from Andy Riches. It came as a set of lengthy document
files which we have been converted to a single .PDF (Adobe Acrobat
Reader) file to reduce its size. Although it hasn't converted
perfectly, it is still quite clear. It is still over 200kb long
so, if you don't have broadband, it may take some time to download.
It makes interesting reading. You can get it here.
31st January 2010
A report of what was probably a Red Kite up Annan Water
yesterday.
Dave Bradshaw reports -
Earshaigs, Thurs 28/01/10, 20 Crossbills around Easter Earshaig/Southern
Upland Way, Kestrel, Buzzard and Raven. Still no Wrens or Stonechats
seen.
Timed Tetrad - Dyke reserves/Barnhill road -.our reserve had
4 Moorhen, 5 Teal, 22 Mallard, Grey Heron, 4 Stock Dove. Quarry
reserve had 4 Goldeneye, 4/5 Goosander, 3 Tufted Ducks, Cormorant,
Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan. Annandale Way across fields showed
Magpie, 65 Jackdaw, 18 Carrion Crow, 1 Rook. On Barnhill road
there were 2 Coal Tit, 4 Great Tit, 3 Blue Tit, Dunnock, Chaffinch,
16 Goldfinch and a Dipper on the burn alongside the River Annan.
(For information, a Tetrad is a 2km x 2km
square area, a Timed Tetrad is a 1 or 2 hour observation within
the Tetrad).
30th January 2010
Sightings update. Large movements of mainly Pink Footed
Geese from Sunday 17th January, possibly as feeding grounds
started to melt and opened up the fields which had been covered
in snow and ice for a long period. A few gardens recording Redpoll
and lots of people seeing Brambling, up to twenty birds at times,
Iain's flock is slowly reducing, perhaps less than 200 birds
now. Garry Tait was at the Quarry on Friday 22nd and there were
six female Goosander and three Little Grebes. Before heading
to Glasgow for stock the same day Iain stopped off at the Station
Park to feed the ducks and there were 82 Mallards,2 Teal and
a Lesser Black Backed Gull with two Grey Wagtails also feeding.
Iain was at the Quarry on the 26th and there was a Cormorant,
a Little Grebe, 4 Mallard, a pair of Goldeneye, a female Tufted
Duck, a female Goosander, a Black Headed Gull and a number of
Reed Buntings. While working at our reserve 600 plus Pink Footed
Geese, 11 Greylag Geese and twenty plus Herring Gulls flew over
as did a pair of Mute Swans. Tawny Owls have been very vocal
lately.
18th January 2010
From Dave Bradshaw -
17 Redwings on our reserve on the 14th, then on the 17th there
were 17 Mallard, 5 Teal, 4 Moorhen,
1 Mute Swan, 12 Redwing, while over on the quarry were 5 Goldeneye,
a female Kestrel with a small rodent landed on the marsh hide,
5 Pink Footed Geese landed in a field between the quarry and
Barnhill road and stayed feeding. At Broomlands, 3 Fieldfare
on the telephone wires outside the cottage.
17th January 2010
Iain got a good count of his Brambling flock at Park
Circle and counted over 280 birds, with 100 plus Chaffinch,
23 House Sparrow, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Collared Dove and 6 Blackbirds!
Also have a report of an ermine stoat near the old Ambulance
Station at Beattock.
13th January 2010
The results of the December Bird Survey have now been
posted, click
here to view. An error on the November distribution map
has also been corrected.
This now completes our survey and the findings for the year
will now be compiled into a final report. Our thanks to all
of you who contributed.
12th January 2010 (2)
Mr and Mrs McVicar from Meadowbank Rise have had two
Brambling in their garden and also a male Blackcap which has
been around for a good while, mainly feeding on peanuts and
a little brown bread.
12th January 2010
We start the year with an update from Iain on what has
been seen lately -
A number of gardens have had Bramblings visiting gardens including
Annandale Place, Commonside, Hydro Avenue, Greenwood Close,
Mill Burn, Beattock Park and Craigielands, while Iain's "flock
at home" still has nearly 200 birds feeding for most of
the day, mainly up the back garden where they get more peace
from passing cars. Other notable garden birds are a number of
Jays, Magpies, Redwing and Fieldfare, with a number of gardens
having a dozen or more Blackbirds, a Reed Bunting at Tommy Smiths,
a Willow Tit at Commonside, Bullfinch at Greenwood Close and
Glenwharrie. There are few Siskins in gardens and Lesser Redpolls
have only been seen at two sites, with up to four birds at Craigielands
seen by Phil Bell who also had a wintering Chiffchaff among
a very good selection including Treeceeper, Jay, Brambling and
up to fourteen Goldfinch. Julie Bowsher saw a Barn Owl near
Chapel Farm. At our Reserve on the 4th Garry Tait saw a female
Merlin and, while delivering papers on the 5th, Iain saw nearly
twenty Fieldfare feeding on berries at the bottom of Dowding
House. On the 9th during two visits to the Station Park pond,
Jock and Davey saw four Teal among the resident Mallards, plus
a Grey Wagtail and two Lapwing which was most unusual. More
mammals than usual have been seen in and around our gardens
with Roe Deer, Fox, Badger and a couple of Red Squirrels in
the Craigielands area. This hard weather should continue to
bring in some good sightings. No Waxwing, Blackcap or Yellowhammer
have been seen.
And a report on our Reserve from Dave Bradshaw -
Sunday 3rd January - 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe, Nuthatch,
5 Teal, 16 Mallard, 16 Moorhen. Over on the Quarry were 4 Goldeneye,
1 Teal, Grey Heron, 1 Black Headed Gull, Coal Tit, Blue Tit.
Tuesday 5th - 2 Common Snipe, 5 Teal, 13 Mallard, 13 Moorhen,
2 Nuthatch.
Thursday 7th - 11 Mallard, 13 Moorhen.
Friday 8th - 3 Mallard, 11 Moorhen. Over on the Quarry were13
Mallard, Grey Heron, Cormorant and a fox.
Monday 11th - 6 Mallard, 1 Teal, 11 Moorhen. On the Quarry :5
Goldeneye, 14 Mallard, 2 Stock Dove.
28th December 2009
An update on Bramblings - on Christmas Day Iain had
four male Brambling at 4 Park Circle and Garry noticed them
the following day, on Sunday Iain again noticed a lot of small
birds feeding on the ground, got his binoculars and began counting
and stopped when he reached over 110 Brambling with more in
the trees beside the road! They have been there the last two
days in larger numbers possibly nearly 150 birds, which is a
sight worth seeing. A couple of others have had small numbers
in the area.
The other day Garry and Liz were coming back up the Lochmaben
road and they saw a number of Woodcock feeding at the roadside,
upwards of twenty birds which was amazing.
23rd December 2009
An update on recent sightings -
On the 30th November, Garry had a very good flock of 140 Brambling
at Murder Loch, Wamphray. The following day Garry was at the
Reserve late in the day when he disturbed three Woodcock in
the woodland area.
On the 18th, Garry stopped at the Blue Boar pond and there was
a 'herd' of 18 Whooper Swans. The same day Iain was down at
the Reserve and there were 20 Teal and 2 Jays, while on the
Quarry pond were 2 Wigeon, female Tufted Duck and 2 Cormorants.
On the way back home he stopped at Barnhill and there were 2
Mute Swans, a Moorhen, 2 Jays and 4 Brambling.
On Sunday 20th December, Jock had a male Brambling at his garden
and Gerry Aust had a few Brambling at The Whins with masses
of Chaffinch. Billy Davidson reported good numbers of Woodcock
in the Snow Wood area just North of the Cemetry while, close
by, Harry Mathews reported his first Nuthatch in his garden
after seeing a couple at Barnhill the previous week. Jean Hunter-Grant
and her neighbour, Shula, both reported 2 Jays in their gardens
at Hoppertitty.
While out delivering newspapers today (23rd), in the housing
scheme there were masses of birds in the gardens with Blackbirds
being all over the place, with a few Song Thrush and a number
of Wrens. John has had one or two Redwing feeding on holly berries
behind the house in Greenwood Close. Cold spells like the current
one can turn up anything at feeding stations, please let us
know what you have seen or good numbers of birds that you have
witnessed.
Merry Christmas to all - and don't forget your birds!
14th December 2009
Sightings - pair of Bullfinches at the Biggarts and
a pair of bullfinches at Cauldholme farm on 3rd Dec and a pair
of Ravens circling over the road and small plantation at Cauldholme
farm on 9th Dec.
Bird feeders - the recent wet weather has not been kind to our
feeders. Wet peanuts go 'squishy' and go mouldy very quickly,
niger seed goes into a compact and mouldy mass, mixed seed also
- and is even sprouting! Fat balls may also go mouldy and start
to sprout. We recommend very regular checks and cleaning. You
should carefully disassemble each feeder and then scrub each
part thoroughly using mild detergent in water (as in washing
dishes!), give a final rinse in clean water to which you may
add a small quantity of disinfectant. Let each part dry completely
before reassembling and refilling. You should only put out as
much food as will be consumed before your next regular 'top
up', no need to fill them fully. If they go completely empty,
do not worry as the birds won't starve - they will simply use
other adjacent feeders.
Bird Survey - just a reminder that this week will be the last
in the current survey. If you haven't been doing it, it is not
too late - do it next week instead! But please do it.
10th October 2009
People have been asking why so many badgers (up to five seen
at a time) have been seen in parts of the town and speculating
that the forestry operations on Gallow Hill may have some bearing
on it. According to our County Mammal Recorder, the forestry
situation is being monitored and is thought unlikely to be the
cause. The most probable answer, apparently, is that Badgers
are very active at this time of year as they build up fat reserves
for winter. The wet August weather has delayed the process and
has also made some of their usual feeding areas unsuitable so
they are having to very actively seek new food sources before
winter sets in. The town is well within their operating range
and does offer fairly 'easy pickings'.
"Jock's Sparrow" (see 20th July) is still being seen,
latest sighting was on Old Well Road. This distinctive bird
is giving us a very good insight as to how Sparrow flocks move
around. If it continues to be reported we may plot all the sightings
and see if we can get more of a picture on movements. It is
noteworthy that it has survived, oddly marked birds are often
a prime target for predators such as Sparrowhawks!
6th October 2009
On 25th September, Dave Bradshaw had a Red Squirrel in the
garden at Broomlands. He has sent us a picture of it. Larger
view available if you click on the image.
1st October 2009
We have been asked to post the following WARNING
A badger has been seen regularly in the Fingland Court/Warriston
Place area. For your safety, do not chase or try to catch
this animal. Please also warn any youngsters about the danger.
Badgers are a protected species and can be very dangerous if
caught or cornered.
5th August 2009
We've just heard that, up to about a week ago, the leucistic
(yellow) House Sparrow had been seen regularly among a flock
of normal ones, at 8 Greenwood Close. Presumably it is still
around somewhere so please keep an eye open for this extremely
rare bird.
20th July 2009
During the period of 21st-24th June, on the 'green' behind 9
Church Street, a female House Sparrow affected by xanthochroism
(an abnormal yellowness of feathers, commonly called leucistic),
was seen and photographed by Jock Dicerbo. This was a perfect
example showing distinctly yellow beak and legs as well as plumage.
This bird was in the company of a group of normally coloured
House Sparrows. Jock has made his photographs available to the
website - click on the images below to see a larger view. Higher
resolution images are available on request. You are reminded
that reproduction of these images without consent is not permitted.
